Apparatus for rotating pipe



May 25 1-926. 1,586,301

V H. FQLEY APPARATUS FOR RQTATING PIPE Filedmay 2, 1921 2 sheets-.sheet 1 IlllllllllllllmllllllllillllllllIlIIlllllllllilllllldll 1 May 25,1926. y Y 1,586,301-

H. FOLEY APPARATUS FOR ROTATING PIPE Filed May 2. 1921 2 Sheets-shewv v 2 Patented May 25, 1926.

UNITED 5M tassen lica.,

HUGH FOLEY, or soun. Lann,L 'rn-iras.

APPARATUS yron no'rATiive PIPE.

`Application, filed May 2,

This invention relates to new andl useful improvements inmechanisnrfor screwing together joints of pipe and the like and has" particular reference to an engaginghead for gripping the pipe in order thatl same `may berotated. I

(ine object of 'the invention is to provide `gripping mechanism capable of being positively moved' into position for gripping and arranged toztalte hold of the object and rotate it quickly and Without slipping.

Another object .is toA provide means for gripping the pipe in such manner that the pipek collar or coupling will not be crushed by the gripping n'iechanism thus avoiding one of theV disadvantages commonly encounteredwith pipe gripping apparatus heretofore rnuse. y

@ther objects of the invention Will become apparent from the following detailed description thereof.` v

In the drawings:

Figure 1 isla longitudinal elevation of'an apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention and constituting an embodiment thereof; l Fig. 2 is a vertical-section of the-pipe gripping head taken on the line 2 2 of Fie. 3' and-drawn to a larger scale than Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; y

Fig- 4l is a section taken on line 4-4 'of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is ari-enlarged sectional view taken online 5-5 of Fig. 4.

vlefl'erring now to Fig. 1 a rotatable pipe lisshown'within which is mounted apropeller shaft 11. Tl'ie pipe has a coupling yoke' 12 and center 13 by Which it maybe placed in operative connection with suitable mechanism for rotating same. The shaft is provided with a guide member 11a and has a drive nut 15 by which power is trans niitted` from the .rotatable pipe to the shaft. The driving mechanism which operates the apparatus is preferably mounted on a tractor and thus the pipe 10 and shaft 11 may be` attached to the rear thereof, thek pipe having a bail ring 14 by which it may be swung from a suitable cable or other elevatingi mechanism.

The shaft 11 is attached in any convenient manner to a gripping head 16 adapted tok engage with the pipe which it is desired to rotate. As'illustrated the head 16 has a coupling plate 17 having a pair of lugs 1S y 1921. semaine. 166;342.

whichv are attachedto the' shaft 1%1 by means of a coupling sleeve 19= and pins Q0.. f

The various details of the preferred foam of head '16 are more clearly showvnnini Figs. 2, 3,. and 4. As illustrated thereiiuthe head is formed. of the couplingplate 17 hereinbefore mentioned, spacer ring. 21, stationary ringsQ and n3, -iaiv rin0'24,. adjacent to which are movable rings 25 andl, and an outer ring 27. These. Several rings con'- stit'uting the lieadfare secured by means of bolts 28 which passth'rough holes inv the rings, the arrangement being such that the several parts, with the enceptionofthe movable rings Q5l and 56, are held togetherrigidly. f

rfhe jaw ring 2li-rie provided with a plurality of slots 29 whichcommunicate ivit-h the circular opening enclosed Within thejaiv ring. In each slot 29 isfniountedajaw shoe 30 .which isadapted to have ans-liding movement the-rein. Each shoe is formed. withx a hole through which passes a pin term-ii nating Loneither sidel of the shoe in the movable rings 25 and 26. The` jaw ring is preferably `equipped with a plurality of f guide lugs 36;

yfour engaging edges; when one edge `1s dulled itis onlynecessary to change the posi- -tion of the dog in order that -anotheredge may be used.y Each dog is -positioi'ied ina slot; in the shoe as clearly shown inFig. 4. Each Slot has somewhat larger dimensions than that of thc dog in yorder that a. wedge 44- inay be used toV hold` thedog lirmly in position, the face of the slot adjacent the wedge beingpreferably tapered to accommodate the Wedge. As shown in Fig. 5 one side of the shoe has a closure 45 by which the slot is closed at that end thereof, an opening 46 beingfprovided by which the `Wedge may be driven out when it is desired to remove the jaivl.

The movable rings may each be constructyed alike and the form of the ring 26 Which is shown in Fig. 3 may be taken as typical. The holes 33 through which pass the bolts 28 are preferably ellipticalin form or at least of greater diameter than the bolts in order that the ring maybe movable. It desired, each bolt may be equipped with a ring 84C contained within the slot 33. The shift ring 26 is likewise equipped with elliptical slots 35 for the guide lugs 36 and with holes 37 i'or the pins The shift rings are preferably provided with suitable operating handles which may take the form of a number of lugs or projections 3S, adjacent pairs of projections on the rings 25 and 26 respectively being connected by means of bolts 39 each of which carries a handle member 40. T he two shift rings may thus be operated as a unit.

It will be seen that when the rings 25 and 26 are shifted the pins 32 will be moved and thus the aw slices 30 will be moved in the slots 29. By means of the shift rings the jaws 31 are thus'moved to and from engagement with the pipe it is desired to rotate. The holes 37 should be of elliptical form 0r of suiiicient diameter to permit the necessary'movement of the pins as the shoe 30 slides back and forth in the slot 29 the path of movement of the pin is slightly eccentric in its relation to the circular opening contained within the jaw ring.

The head 1G is provided with a loose ring 41 having handles 42 in order that the sha'lt l0 and head 1G may be conveniently manipulated when connecting it to joints ot ipe.

The object ot' the spacer' ring 2l is to give such depth to the engaging head 1G that the entire collar of a pipe .may be in.- sertedv within and retained by the head in order to avoid crushing or weakening oil the collar, which frequently occurs in using gripping heads which do not fully encircle in the collar. Obviously in the case or' comparatively narrow collars or by constructing the other ring members of the head ot' sutticient width, the use oi a spacer ring as such may be avoided.

The engaging head is preferably so constructed that there will be a shoulder #i3 against which the pipe may be centered when inserting it within the head. This insures that the pipe will be hcld squarely and minimizes the danger of sl ripping the threads when the head is rotated.

My invention is capable o1 a very eiiicient utilization in the laying of pipe lilies. By mounting the apparatus described herein on a suitable tractor or other power-operated mechanism the apparatus may be employed in laying pipe lines vvery quickly and eiliciently. Each jointo't pipe is inserted in the head 1G and by simply shilting the rings 25 and 26 the pipe is securely gripped by the engaging jaws thus permitting the several joints to be screwed together by means ot the propeller 11.

Apparatus of preferred 'form and construction has been illustrated and described for the purpose ot' showing a way in which this invention may be used, but the inventive thought upon which the application is based, is broader than this illustrative embodiment thereoi, and I therefore intend no limitations other than those imposed by the appended claims.

that I claim is l. In a device or' the character described, a gripping head comprising a ring having a plurality ot recesses formed interiorly thereof, a slidable shoe mounted in each oi said recesses and iormed with a slot near one end thereof, a detachable gripping dog disposed in each of said slots, a wedge disposed in each of said slots between the dog and the shoe for holding the dog lirnily in position, and means for moving said dogs into gripping engagement with a pipe.

2. Apparatus for rotating a pipe, comprising a pair of spaced movable rings each having a plurality of elongated slots therein, a jaw ring disposed between said movable rings and formed with a plurality o'l recesses interiorly thereot, a slidable gripping member mounted in each ot said recesses and carrying a pin supported at its ends in the movable rings, a spacer ring disposed outwardly of one ot the movable rings, and means extending through all oi' the rings and through the slots in the movable rings tor maintaining the several rings in operative position and 'l'or actuating the movable rings so as to lorce the gripping members therein into engagement with the pipe to be rotated.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 15th day of April,

HUGH FOLEY. 

